“There you are. How’d it go?”
“I got the job.”
“You did?”
“Yep.” I decide to play with her a little and not blurt out my little secret about who my new employer is just yet. “You sound surprised.”
“Well… kinda. You said you don’t have any experience with kids. I was just hoping that single, sexy dad would give you his number. I didn’t really think you would get a job out of it.”
“Well, I did, and thanks for the vote of confidence.”
Hazel, however, is only interested in talking about the important stuff.
“So, was he single and sexy?”
“Very single… very sexy.” So damn sexy.
Hazel jumps up and down, clapping her hands. “What kind of sexy are we talking about?”
“Tall, all muscle, gorgeous dimples… and his name.” I fan myself. “He has one of those super-hot bad-boy names.”
She stares at me, waiting impatiently for me to continue.
“Ryder.”
“Ryder,” she repeats, then is silent, and I can practically hear the gears in her head turning. “As intheRyder?”
“The one and only,” I say, collapsing onto the couch.
“Oh. My. God. So, you’re telling me that single, sexy dad is… super sexy, one-night-stand guy?” I nod. “And you got the job?” Another nod. “The live-in nanny job?” Hazel falls to the couch, her arm resting against her forehead.
“Dramatic much?”
“Well, yeah, but this warrants it. It’s like something straight out of a soap opera. You already slept with him, and there is no doubt in my mind, you will again.”
“Absolutely not. That would be unprofessional.” Plus, Ryder basically put the kibosh on it.
“Who cares?”
“I do, and I’m sure he’d agree. Besides, I need this job. It has to work out.”
“So, it’s over?”
“It was never an ‘it,’ but yes, it’s over.”
Hazel rolls her eyes. “I disagree, but whatever. When do you start?”
“Tomorrow.”
Her face drops. “Aww, you’re leaving that soon?”
I move down next to her. “You have no idea what these past few weeks have meant to me… whatyoumean to me. I will never be able to repay you.”
“No repayment necessary.” Hazel rests her head on my shoulder. “Just promise to be my bestie forever.”
“I promise,” I tell the woman I’ve known for barely a month but feel like I’ve known my whole life.
While everything seems to be happening so fast, I feel it’s all so right. Everything from the moment I left Nashville has been nothing but a positive. Okay, except Edgar, but it was his crude mouth that led me to this job… and back to Ryder.